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Rainier Veterinary Hospital
Rating Details »
Category: Veterinarians [Edit]
Neighborhood: Central District815 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 324-4144
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27 reviews for Rainier Veterinary Hospital
My cat started pooping blood (yuck), so I decided to research a few places to avoid paying an arm and a leg for her care.
I decided on Rainier Vet Hospital and had a really great experience! All-in-all, her exam, updating her shots, a small bag of vet-recommended food, medication, and some "Pill Pockets" (treats that have a pocket that you can hide meds in... brilliant!), came out to only $101.
Plus, Dr. Kung was super nice and answered all my questions thoughtfully. Hopefully Kisa will remain illness-free, but if I ever need to, I'm definitely coming back here.
I just adopted my first doggie from the shelter! YAY for me!!! But sadly she was coughing and bleeding from the nose about 2 days after coming home.... Time to find a vet!!
I called Rainier Vet and they set up an appointment quickly and politely. The day of, it was really easy to find, right off the freeway.
The staff was very friendly and gentle with my doggie. We met with Dr. Moriyasu who was super good with my dog (I wasn't sure what would go down as it was her first time at the vet). Dr. Moriyasu was very professional and took the time to explain about kennel cough to my very concerned boyfriend.
(he was worried we could get sick from the dog......) (^_^);;;; haha... ha
We got some meds for doggie and some tips of how to feed it to her (for me the first time dog owner) and away we went.
All in all a good experience, very reasonably priced for the care and medication we received.
BEWARE! DO NOT GO HERE! The "manager," Marlena, is a total nut job! Having a degree in psychology would not be necessary to determine that the woman has mental illness. This used to be a 5-star veterinary clinic, but this psycho-bitch has forced me to go back to my old vet. The financial savings here are not worth the stress of dealing with the company manager.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/14/2008
I wish I had the time to write a long review of this clinic, but let me just say, they are hand's… Read more »
First, I would like to rave about the completely affordable prices for office visits ($38).. Hands down-best in the city. More importantly, I want to applaud the ENTIRE vet clinic staff. I have had the pleasure of meeting MANY of the doctors and support staff over the past year. I always find them very knowledgable and curteous but cheifly-caring and understanding. Recently, I had to put my dog of 15 years to sleep. Dr. Heino and the office manager were extremely patient with me saying my final goodbyes and wholly sympathetic to such a difficult situation. To say the least, I was impressed.
I can't say enough kind things about this clinic and would recommend it to anyone.
Sincerely,
A Customer For Life
I've had great experiences with Drs. Kung and Heino. Yes, prices are low, but I'm happy with them mainly because they and their staff are kind & caring, they take their time with appointments, answer my questions thoroughly and follow up promptly with lab results (even evenings and weekends).
Stay far away from Dr. Moriyasu. A few months ago she told me my cat was going to die within weeks. I followed up with Dr. Kung and got a much more complete picture. Kitty's symptoms could be caused by a number of things and, in fact, if I had an extra $1,000-$2,000 lying around and wanted to go down that road, there are a couple of procedures that could diagnose and possibly treat the problem.
Long story short: cat is still around. Yeah, he is old and decrepit and going to die sooner rather than later, but the situation was not as cut-and-dried as Dr. Moriyasu made it out to be.
Five stars if you stick with Drs. Heino and Kung.
After reading the reviews on yelp, and since this vet is the closest I could find to my house (even 8 minutes in the car with a screaming cat is more than enough), I decided to give it a try. The vet I saw, while very gentle and knowledgeable, isn't particulary personable. Not the type to strike up a conversation with, anyway. The first appointment was for my previous cat. The vet assured me he was fine and sent me on my merry way, an affordable $38 later.
2 days later, my cat was much worse, and I ended up having to put him down. Whether or not the vet could have done anything to save him at the first visit is unknown.
Fast forward a few weeks, and I have a new kitten. I took him in for his first shots and because he was sneezy and snuffly. The vet said the sneeze would go away and the shots went fine.
3 weeks later, he is sneezing like crazy, and kittens don't cover their noses when they sneeze, although kitten sneezes are kind of cute. Tomorrow is try #4 with this vet. I'm just not convinced it is the vet for me, in spite of the decent prices and convenient location.
Edited to add: I just got a card in the mail from these folks. I'm sure it's office protocol to send a consolation note, but this was really great to see that they took a moment to hand-write a letter.
It was appreciated... greatly appreciated.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/27/2009
As hard as it is to write this review, I feel I have to...
My baby, love of my life, my 4 year old… Read more »
The place has changed quite a bit recently. Dr. Heino is either no longer here, or else mostly not available. So, sadly, one star gone.
The new vet, a perfectly nice lady, seems just fine, though. I was pretty worried about my dog since she was not only lethargic, but, honestly, I have never seen such profuse, uh, well let's just say that whatever she ate off the sidewalk yesterday did NOT agree with her. They saw her immediately after I called, the vet was very considerate, reassuring, and answered all my questions (the question mostly being, "this won't kill her, right?")
On the other hand, I was surprised that the vet recommended antibiotics for diarrhea, even without results from the lab on what might have caused the diarrhea. When I respectfully declined, she suggested probiotics, which made more sense to me. I did appreciate her honesty when she told me, on further questioning, that neither were necessary, and that waiting it out was fine. This may reflect a style difference between Dr. H. and this new vet, but I only have this one visit to go on so far. Dr. H. always went with the mimimum necessary.
The other star I took off because the prices seem to have gone up. Still very reasonable, but not notably low, like the old days. I do like it that it's still a bread and butter vet clinic, nothing fancy or overpriced.
When I finally started to feel guilty about not ever having taken my cat of 3 years to a vet, yelp was where I turned to decide where to go.
My cat was a stray who would wander into my house in the beginning. She has never been in heat, so I just assumed she had been fixed and whatnot and never brought her to a vet before.
This place was great! They are clearly used to dealing with humans who are concerned with cost first, as he spelled out the costs of everything with the benefit analysis for me to decide. Even when I said that I didn't care about the cost, that I wanted her to get all of the shots that were advisable, he still added up the cost for me. And it was still really cheap! Like around $100 for everything and I only have to come back once a year while she is healthy.
I thought my cat would be traumatized by the whole thing too--but she seemed to love it there! They really are a great place.
OK, I was hoping that the followup would ... well, be helpful, even... with over $200 out of my pocket, let me say... I was REALLY hoping for a thorough followup...
I didn't get it.
Instead, I got some bad advice and had to go be my own vet, essentially.
Being nice just isn't enough... I wish Dr. Heino was still there :/
They promised that if I didn't get called Saturday afternoon, first thing Monday, I'd hear from him... even after calling Monday morning with nervous anticipation, he still didn't take 2 minutes to call and say she's ok, she's not ok... instead, 6pm, I'm getting the call...
Three days? Really... I've never had such a delay in service and hope to never have it again.
Still, gotta play the nice guy long enough to get the paperwork sent to me... ick. This is not how I wanted to start my week... not how I ever want my week to go, actually... Especially not with him giving "spend $200 more" advice. Ugh. Poop. That's what this whole thing's been like... it's been like PooP.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/13/2009
OK, so I wanted to be another 5 star review... but with vets closer to me (Aurora, etc) that have 5… Read more »
After using another vet for my two cats for several years, I was looking for something a little less boutique-like and more practical and affordable. So based on the reviews here, I gave Rainier a try.
I was really impressed with the quality of the care and how much time the vet took to talk to me about my cat. She even spent time on the phone two days later to explain his test results (all good).
Based on my one visit, I definitely recommend Rainier Veterinary Hospital. I will definitely be back.
Simply put
It is obvious they care more about that animals than their bank book. I highly recommend this place. Nothing more to say.
Rainier Veterinary Hospital now does appointments! That's pretty much awesome. No more long waiting room mornings.
Extra bonus: despite now taking appointments, when I showed up this morning to have my dog's anal glands "expressed" (ew!) they were totally able to do it without an appointment. And it was only $15! love them.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/18/2008
What can I say that hasn't already been said?
Yes, this is the best value veterinary care in town.… Read more »
Dr. Heino really is the best vet. He's also very good at explaining your pet's current situation in order to help you, the pet owner, make an informed decision. This is the best place to come for compassionate and affordable healthcare for your pet.
This clinic also has a rich history, there should be a wiki on it, seriously.
And holy cow... The vintage cabinet in Heino's exam room with the jars of big ass kidney stones and preserved tapeworms? AWESOME.
I was very pleased with Rainier Veterinary Hospital. I took kitty there to get his teeth looked at (another vet told me that he was due for a cleaning that would cost $400) and the doctor was very thorough, nice and calm. He was respectful. Even though I was just in to have his teeth looked at, he looked at all sorts of other things and asked me questions. I was quite appreciative.
This exam was only $38. The actual teeth cleaning (which the doctor said could wait for about six months) was quoted to me at around $200.
Warm, professional, thorough and affordable. I am happy with this place.
Not that I even need to write a review, the other reviews are all glowing, and for good reason. I took my dog here for the first time this morning to get his vaccines updated. I waited for a long time. One of the other people waiting mentioned that it was extraordinarily long compared to most days, but I'd heard they're worth it, so I waited.
The office is small, as in you need to think skinny in order to slink by people and their pets sometimes. It's an older place, but it's clean and organized and was quaint, I liked the atmosphere. I could almost imagine how it looked when it first opened, probably similar to how it looks now!
When we finally got called in to the room, we didn't see Dr. Heino, but another vet (the name escapes me and I'm too lazy to get up and look) but he was very nice and took time to explain what all the vaccines were...I've never had a vet take the time to do that. He was also a little goofy with both me and my dog, which I always appreciate. He of course, told me I need to brush his teeth and clean his ears more (I already know this, but both require serious manhandling of my dog and we both dread/avoid it) but he didn't do it in a way that made me feel like a big jerk about it, just a reminder to try and stay on top of it.
When I went to pay, it wasn't quite as cheap as I was expecting, but it was certainly reasonable. I mean really, are things ever as cheap as you want them to be? I think the reviews that raved about how cheap they are had my hopes set a little high is all.
Overall I really liked this place, and we will definitely be going back. I think I'm just going to time it better next time.
*** (1/2) * Three-and-a-half stars
"You pay for what you get." NOT necessarily. Not always.
I am perplexed when pet-owners exclaim how wonderful their veterinary clinic is because "they [the latter] fit their pet in in a pinch when s/he had an emergency."
Vets do that, in my opinion, because (1) they "economize" on time with other clients, (2) delay seeing other already scheduled clients so that they can do the "extra" business and make it seem as though they are doing you"a big favor," and (3) are not usually booked solid anyway, especially if the ranks of their clients are thin to begin with.
It's not as difficult as it might appear to be on the surface, except under exceptional circumstances.
The fact you sometimes wait a long time at the Rainier Veterinary Hospital is probably a testimony that Dr. Heino does NOT CUT CORNERS just to fit in an extra client/make more "dough"!
The respected Puget Sound Consumer's http://checkbook.org gives this hospital a price index of 93, with a score of 86 on "overall care and advice."
Compare to the Cat Clinic of Seattle, the first veterinary clinic I ever went to, with a price index, at the time, of $188 and overall score of 70!
In trying to find another clinic for my cat, I made a personal visit in the fall of 2007. I was amazed that though it was a Friday afternoon and they were not seeing any more pets for office visits, the ONE receptionist-vet tech was so hard-working and courteous, answering my questions and those of the others who walked in during the 15-20 minutes I was there.
(Unlike another clinic I also visited, the Rainier Veterinary Hospital did NOT try to charge me $40 for talking to the vet tech--with my cat not even being there).
At the Cat Clinic of Seattle, I was amazed that spending upfront $1,500 for five days of hospitalization (for which we were charged for 6) was no guarantee whatsoever that their office manager would be curt and generally unhelpful ("well, you have to come for an office visit--right now") with me...and then finally give me an especially nasty verbal drubbing (auto-pilot racism, no doubt).
Or that one of the vet techs (AA degree?) would be condescending and rude to the former co-pet-owner (Ph.D., old enough to her father).
If they were as busy as the Rainier Vet Hospital was that day, their staff, all 12 of them, would be running around like chickens* with their heads cut off...all the while bitching, backbiting, and bossing clients left and right.
* Better probably to wring those scrawny necks than to let those poor chicks run around headless...
What I learned from my experience is that modest physical trappings environment and less than the latest technical equipment do not reflect badly necessarily on a veterinary practice. Dishonesty, complacency, an unwarranted sense of "superiority,"and incompetence, however do.
No, they don't have a fancy web-site. No bells or whistles. Nor do they advertise. But yes, they ARE very good, just the same.
Though located at the "mouth" of the Rainier Valley, in a rather down-at-the-ears neighborhood (directly across from the Goodwill store), I was impressed by the dedication of these people...not to make as much $$ as possible with the least amount of work...but to provide decent care for animals (at a decent, affordable cost).
I had to bring my cat in here after he became very very sick, and Dr. Heino spent the time to explain the pros and cons of letting him go. Because I came so close to closing time, however, I did not have time to stay with my cat at the end.
If you have to do what I had to do, I urge you to let them know that you will need however much time (10-15 minutes?) to be with your friend after he is gone and try to get there well before they close and on a day where they are not so busy.
The only problem I had was that what they charged for the euthanasia was considerably more than what they had quoted me over the telephone a few months before ($200 versus $135). Also, the blanket I brought with my cat "disappeared" somehow even though I called the next business day.
See
http://www.salon.com/m...
I took my dog to Dr. Heino for the first time after the snobs at Broadway Veterinary Hospital tried to oversell me a lot of things we didn't need and make me feel like a bad pet owner for not buying all of the up-sells. Dr. Heino, on the other hand, has probably the best rates in town, and told me that he just wants to ensure that every animal has access to health care.
Dr. Heino is a practical man. He understands that many of us can not afford every diagnostic test available. He's also very willing to help owners work out the most cost-effective way to address the problem. He incorporates not only medicine, but also nutrition and holistic practices into helping animals be well. He often suggests the "nursing" route first over the more invasive "medical' route.
The staff at Rainier Vet are wonderful. Aside from Dr. Heino, I've also had good experiences with the other vets, and the office staff and techs are helpful and kind.
Rainier Vet is a drop-in clinic, which is great when you need to get your pet in *today*. The wait can be long, so go as early in the as you can, especially if it's Saturday. On a Saturday morning, the line can form up to a couple of hours before they open. However, it's worth it to be seen by your own vet and not be charged the weekend rates and the emergency clinics.
The clinic itself is old; you can tell that you're not being charged an arm and a leg for fancy interior decorating updates. I bet it hasn't changed in 50 years. But I'm not there for a fancy environment, I'm there for affordable pet care. And the caring, nurturing staff and the care they provide are top-notch. I'm actually hesitent to give them such rave reviews, because judging from the lines for clinic visits, they probably don't need more clients.
-- Pros --
Dr. Heino - he is the ultimate rockstar in vet care and I've visited many.
$35 per visit charge.
The staff is super friendly and helpful.
--Cons--
Only 1: Limited parking. The place fills up so you have to get creative with parking maneuvering.
My fiance and I have been taking our Devon Rex kittens to Dr. Heino for almost a year now. He and his staff are very friendly, handle the animals gently, and are very knowledgeable.
When a super nasty intestinal virus manifested itself a month after we got the kittens (needless to say, we do not recommend the breeder), the boy had to spend 5 whole days in their care. I thought we were going to lose him. :( Thanks to Heino +staff, he came through with nothing more than a surgery scar and some unpleasant memories (poor baby). With daily medication and special allergen food, he was playing and eating normally within a few weeks.
Their prices are far more reasonable than other vets closer to home. We don't mind the wait. Having them open on Saturdays has been a necessary convenience at times.
Dr. Heino is the best vet.
He drained my cat's pus-filled wound with his bare hands.
I will not take my pets to any other veterinary care place.
Dr. Heino is also extremely inexpensive and will not overcharge you for unneccessary stitches. He will explain that the reeking, gaping hole in your cat's back will heal itself in a few days.
When I saw him grasp my cat's wound and just drain the eff out of it, I was astonished beyond belief. It was like in that Seinfeld episode involving 'lobster hands' ex-girlfriend.
Dr. Heino is, by far and above, the most kind and caring animal Doctor I have ever met.
I have read James Herriott and his loving and touching stories of being a country veterinarian; Seattle is blessed to have a kindred spirit such as Clifford Hieno in our midst.
Dr. Heinos' education (WSU 1971) included larger farm animals. He interned with the second veterinarian at Rainier Vet. Hospital, and later inherited it's growing city clientele to compliment his country experience.
My best girl, Esmeralda makes regular visits since she decided to live off the streets and near a lap.
Dr. Heino is wise and speaks with understanding and patience to all of his patients. He is well known as a compassionate care-giver to all, including rescued pit bulls, many with emotional and physical scars.
Dr. Heino and his dedicated staff are truly Angels.
The rates barely reflect inflation and I know for fact, it has been a long and frustrating search for Dr. Heino to find a Veterinarian to pass the Hospital and it's ideals on to.
UPDATE: Welcome Dr. Kung !!! Rainier Hospital's 4th DVM !!!
Dr. Heino has passed the magic wand of his practice to the wonderful Dr. Kung. Dr. Kung plans to maintain the integrity and traditional style of care and follow in Dr.Heino's footsteps. Dr. Kung has spent time working with Dr. Heino and the patients of the surrounding neighborhoods and decided he liked it!!!
And, no worries:
Dr.Heino will remain as staff and is happier than ever because now he has 2 days off a week!!!
When I first adopted my dog, I took her to Rainier Animal Hospital, being lazy at some point I decided to go to a vet closer to my house for a couple of visits when she was having some thyroid issues. Big mistake! I went right back to Rainier Animal Hospital.
Dr. Heino is with out a doubt genuinely interested in the well being of your animal, providing affordable health care and educating the owners of his patients. He always takes plenty of time to explain everything as well as all the available treatment options.
I have never spent more than $50 on a visit, and they are usually around $35. I have spoken to people in the waiting room that have been setup on installment payment plans because they were tight on funds.
As everyone else has mentioned the clinic is first come first served with no appointments so sometimes there is no wait, sometimes you are there for a couple of hours. However this is a small price to pay for the quality of care you receive.
Easily 5 stars
Just took my kittie here for the first time today. They are always first-come-first-serve, and they say Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays are the worst. I went on a Saturday. Got there half an hour before they opened and was the third one there. Didn't see the sign-in sheet though and ended up 7th on the list. I was seen at 11:30. Cool part is that Dr. Heino actually spent quite a bit of time doing a thorough exam and explaining everything to me. He only had two staff members and actually gave the vaccines himself. Maybe that is how he keeps the overhead reasonable, and the prices low. I found the cost to be quite reasonable compared with some of the other quotes I've received in town for places in snooty neighborhoods that are not open at all on weekends. I like this place and will be bringing both cats there from now on.
Dr. Heino and his assistants are consistently great in taking care of my two kitties. They are on a first-come-first-serve basis and are reasonably priced. My two cats obviously hate going to the vet - but they don't seem to get as stressed out as they do going to other vets in the past.
Heino is great. We ditched our more expensive vet in Green Lake and found Heino. He likes the dog, spends time explaining things, and is cheaper too. The wait can be a hassle but well worth it for a good vet.
Dr. Heino would be the very best I've ever seen for four times the price, much less his small charge of $35.00. The thorough examination he gave me dog was more thoughtful and informative than all the other vets I'd been to for my little pomeranian. Because of him, I have finally uncovered that she most likely has a liver shunt and am able to begin her recovery. I can not tell you how highly I recommend this place. So what if you have to wait, so what if the office isn't modern? They will treat your pet as if it were their own there.
